Mutants and Gunslingers
by WolviesNeko
Summary: Roland and his ka-tet know that ka isn't going to help them. They need someone else, to help them cheat ka... Logan, Kurt, and Piotr are on the run after M-Day. They need someone to help them...
1. Chapter 1

Roland looked up from his gun, having just taken it apart then starting to put it back together once again, at the sound of bird, talking its screeching talk, the way most birds will. It was a comfort to see that, no, they were _not_ the only breathing creature in this God forsaken wasteland. As the bird, a hawk was Roland's guess, wheeled and screeched again. Roland was right, the feathered beast was indeed a hawk. Roland looked back down and continued putting his well-worn, well-trusted gun back together. Again. As the hawk screeched yet a third time, Oy looked up to see what pest was so rude as to wake him up. He crawled out from Jake's sleeping form and turned to see what Roland was doing.

"Oy," Oy said quietly looking at the gunslinger. The fire made his animalistic, but knowing eyes glitter and sparkle. He crawled back over to Jake and sat down, still watching Roland. He put his head down and Roland watched as his eyes slowly drooped shut as Oy fell asleep once more. A slight smile lightened Roland's features. He had found his ka-tet, still following his ka, and he was happy. Not the light-hearted joy most people are used to now, like his ka-tet felt when times were kind, but a quiet, subtle happiness deep within. They were the emotions of an experienced gunslinger.

* * *

Logan looked up. After the hell called M-Day, he was on the run again, but there were differences. It was these differences that kept him going. For starters, he wasn't alone- he had Kurt and Piotr. What really mattered was, it wasn't him they wanted. Hell was everywhere these, as anyone can tell you, but for a break in the usual, hell wasn't focused on him. He was living like a person, in civilization, not a beast in the woods. But nevertheless, he was running.

The other X-Men had taken their own paths since Xavier was killed and the Institute destroyed. Their worlds had shattered around their heads and their illusions of hope had faded, revealing the real world. And the real world hates anything different. Everyone coped in their own ways. Logan found himself in a bar by himself. Peter and Kurt were looking around the town. Scott and Emma had left together. As he passed though the various bars, he found himself looking for fights that were worth his time and would give him a chance to enjoy himself and have fun. As the fights started, noses were broken along with bones and pride. Logan gave bruises and a few times received bruises, but they healed as soon as they formed. And after a bar became a war field of moaning men and broken bones, Logan took his leave to find another bar for some more fun.

* * *

Roland watched as the sun came up, in all its glory and beauty. He wondered where he would be when and if the sun rose again. With the Beams giving away, he didn't know how much longer any if the worlds had left. The Tower would fall and the Crimson King would get the worlds, if anything was left. As the ka-tet's journey drew day into day until everything blurred together and time lost its meaning and no longer held the control it had lives ago. Beams gave away and broke, created unbelievable earthquakes, taking life, humanity, and everything near the Beam. If the Breakers destroyed the Beam…. And Roland knew from Ted that telepaths were the best breakers. Roland also knew from Jake that mutant were being born and hated for what they were. The only mutants Roland cared about was the telepaths. He knew the destruction would come quicker than even the Crimson King himself could have imagined if he stole all of these telepaths. He needed a way into Jake's world, to find a way to lead a rebellion against the bastard.

Roland was jolted out of his thoughts as Oy's cold nose rubbed his hand.

"Orning, Oland," Oy said happily looking up at Roland.

Roland looked down and smiled. "Good morning Oy," he said quietly to the talkative billybumbler.

Oy trotted off to Jake and carefully licked his face until Jake's eyes fluttered tiredly open. He saw Oy and smiled. The smile was not used as often as Roland would like, since Jake was only a young boy, whose ka forced him into a harsh life of kill or be killed. In the right circumstances, Roland thought grimly, a boy can mature quickly.

When Oy decided that Jake was awake, he went over to Susannah and Eddie and licked them until they groggily pushed him away. Oy walked back to Jake.

"Ake!" Oy barked.

"What, Oy?" Jake answered his billybumbler.

"Orning!" Oy happily answered. Jake smiled and patted his head.

* * *

Logan walked up to Piotr and Kurt.

"Back so soon, mein freund?" Kurt smiled.

"What, are you trin' to say something, Elf?" Logan smiled back.

Piotr smiled and laughed to himself as he listen to his friends talk and argue.

"Where are you leadin' me, Pete? Anywhere special?" Logan asked still grinning.

"No, Logan. Why? Is there anywhere special?" Piotr asked.

"Nope, just wonderin'."

They were grinning and laughing.

* * *

As his ka-tet traveled across the barren wasteland, they passed many small towns. Most of the residents of the pitiful towns were even more pitiful than the town. They were as God-forsaken as the land around them. The horribly mutated excuses for humanity were covered in sores. Their minds seemed as mutilated as their bodies.

Roland led as he usually did. Susannah held Jake's hand as Oy trotted close behind. Eddie was on the other side of Susannah. They stayed close to each other not for warmth but comfort. Safety in numbers is drilled deep into the human mind, and when at a place like this, the deepest parts of your mind are the only parts of your mind. Fear and pity of and for the people was felt by each member of the ka-tet. They kept all emotion hidden, and well, like the true gunslingers they were turning out to be.

* * *

Logan laughed much more than he normally did. It was not for himself, he could take of himself and did not care, but for the others. He was the unspoken leader, and if your leader is happy and at peace, then you can be too. They had only themselves left, for the being, as their past was dust in the shades of their memories, already. Logan was what kept them sane. He was support when you needed support. He was kind when kindness was called for, and tough when you needed a hard push. This too real, too sharp taste of reality, had been growing sour in all their mouths.

And the false feelings of safety, sanity, and glimmers of hope were about to be proved false, again. And none of them knew.

* * *

Roland led his ka-tet further into Mid-World. As much as Roland had faith in himself and his ka-tet, he thought -knew- that they couldn't do this by themselves. He didn't know if that was what ka wanted, or if ka was wrong. Damn ka. Damn fate. Damn the bastard who they were going to kill. Ka was a wheel, but that didn't mean it turned. Maybe fate was lost, paused, or stopped. He had always known you couldn't change ka, couldn't change fate. But what if that was wrong? What if you _could_ change ka?

He hoped for another door, like the ones that brought him Jake, Eddie, and Susannah. But he knew that he had already drawn his three. Three more?

* * *

**Ka- fate, destiny**

**Ka-tet- a group brought together by ka, but stronger. The ka-tet is broken if someone dies or leaves.**

**Thank you for reading. Please review! All you have to do is push the little button and tell me what you think!**


	2. Chapter 2

____

____

__

__

Drip. Drip. Drip...

Logan looked up as he and his friends were slowly but surely getting soaked.

_____Figures, _Logan thought. "Let's go."

Kurt chuckled. "I thought the mighty Wolverine feared no weather?"

Piotr laughed at them.

"You know what I mean, Elf. If you want to stay out here, its fine by me," Logan said to the teleporting mutant.

Kurt smiled innocently.

"What's the fun in that?" Piotr added his own opinion.

Logan rolled his eyes. "Come on Elf. Lets see if they have a cabin or something like that- unless you have a better idea. Anyone want to disagree?" Logan lit his cigar, only to have the rain put it out for him. Kurt grinned at this.

They kept walking. They were soaked by now, but they kept walking.

* * *

_Drip. Drip. Drip..._

Roland looked up. His ka-tet was going to be soaked if they stayed out in the rain. But it wasn't like they had much of a choice. The ground was flat and unforgiving, showing for miles where they had been and where they were going. His ka-tet was the only life Roland had seen since the last mutated village. Roland saw far out into the distance something like a door, looking lonely and ominous. He decided without much thought to change direction to the door. It was somewhere to aim for, a place to go instead of just walking.

Eddie now pushed Susannah with one hand, the other trying to keep the rain out of his eyes. Oy barked as Jake placed him inside of his jacket for warmth.

They kept walking. They were soaked by now, but they kept walking.

* * *

Logan sniffed. The woods where they were now standing by on their way to an inn had an area where the scents conflicted. The soft scent of damp pine needles met with the smell of harsh wet wasteland. The air tasted slightly stale. Kurt and Piotr stopped as they noticed Logan's rigid posture.

"Logan?" Piotr asked hesitantly as he watched the much shorter man. Logan walked into the woods, not bothering to check if his friends had followed or not. He soon heard their footsteps behind him. Piotr and Kurt suddenly stopped and stared at an old door ahead of them. It stood proud and alone in the woods. Oddly enough, the surprise of finding a lone door in the woods did not trouble them too much. The smell, almost desert like, was so strong now that they could all smell it. Logan briefly thought about leaving the door as they had found it, but just as quickly pushed the thought away and put his hand out to the antique handle. As his fingers brushed the door, a strong almost telepathic wave rushed over him and he fell to the ground.

"Logan! Are you alright? What happened?" Piotr asked, worry for his friend evident in his normally steady voice.

"Stop with the questions, Pete, I'm fine…" Logan slowly replied. The smell had changed slightly… human and an animal scent lazily drifted out as rain dripped out of the door. He slowly stood up, watching the door as he did so.

* * *

As Roland came closer to the door, he realized that this was the same kind of door that his ka-tet came though…. But different. A breeze gently pulled pine needles into Roland's world. Oy barked, as his more sensitive nose picked up the many strange scents that came on the breeze with the pine needles. Ka had answered his prayers that he was, deep in his mind and soul, sure would be only wasted hope. But against hope itself, here was a door. Roland's thoughts came to a sudden halt as reality reinforced itself. There might not be any one on the other side of the door… and if there was, what if they were not meant to be a part of this ka? It had happened once. The others stopped and watched the door. Susannah jumped and quickly silenced a small scream as the door slowly opened…. And stopped almost immediately. Oy's ears twitched as he heard voices on the other side of the door. Jake put a finger to his mouth to silence any noise from his friend. They all watched the door.

* * *

Neither group was fully aware that there were others on the other side of the door. Roland slowly put his hand out to the door as Logan did the same for a second time. If someone could see both groups at once, it would seem that Roland and Logan were mirroring one another perfectly. But no one saw this, and no one knew this. Only that what would happen in the next few seconds would change eight lives forever.

________

Okay, I know, if anyone's reading this, its taken way too long…. And not for much. But tell me what you think and I'll try to do better! Push the button and type what you think!


End file.
